"And To Your Children"

In the Lutheran Standard, May 28, issue there is suggested the idea of infant membership in the church today based upon Acts 2:39. "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." The usual argument of infant baptism coming in the realm of circumcision is made. Space permits only our answering the former assertion.

God's promises are conditional. Remission of sins is conditioned upon obedience to the prescribed terms preceding, namely, repentance and baptism for they had already believed. Those commands exclude infants and include penitent believers for they only are subjects of baptism. The promise includes those called by the Lord, and only those that are capable of hearing and believing are included in that calling.

Those baptized on Pentecost were the ones that gladly received the word, Acts 2:41. In the Great Commission the Lord instructed the apostles to baptize the taught, Matt. 28:19. John baptized those who confessed their sins, Mk. 1:5. The Corinthian church was established when the people heard, believed, and were baptized, Acts 18:8. Baptism is the answer of a good conscience, I Pet. 3:21. These passages could not possibly include infants.

Church membership is a spiritual relationship not entered by physical birth which characterized the Jewish covenant. Though Nicodemus was a Jew, he was not a subject of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught it could be entered only by the new birth, John 3:3-5. Peter explains this new birth as referring to those who are obedient to the truth, born of the incorruptible word of God, I Pet. 1:22,23.

Protestant denominationalism is entitled to anything it might desire. Being human institutions they may set the terms of membership, but the Lord has determined the basis of membership in his church.